Variegated poinsettia named V-14 JB

ABSTRACT

A new poinsettia cultivar having the unique physical and growth characteristics of the variety named Poinsettia V-14 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,384), now named Glory, except that this new plant has its red bracts flecked and streaked with pink.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

This new poinsettia plant originated as a mutation of its parent,Poinsettia V-14, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,384, and was discovered by me in1979 in my greenhouse at Encinitas, Calif., during the course of manytrials and attempts to obtain new varieties having commercial merit andalso retaining the advantageous characteristics of the parent variety.Upon my selection of this new plant, I reproduced it by means ofcuttings for test purposes at Encinitas, Calif., and clones of thisplant were subjected to successive generations of propagation whichdemonstrated that its distinctive characteristics hold true fromgeneration to generation and appear to be firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

My new poinsettia plant is illustrated by the accompanying full colorphotographic drawing, which shows flowers and bracts of the new plant infull bloom, the colors shown being as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to achieve by conventional professional photographicprocedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

The following is a detailed description of my new poinsettia varietybased upon observations made in greenhouse at Encinitas, Calif., duringthe early months of 1980, the color designations being as close aspossible to the colors of the R.H.S. Colour Chart published by The RoyalHorticultural Society of London, England.

THE PLANT

Origin: Mutation.

Parentage: Poinsettia V-14 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,384).

Classification:

Botanic.--Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Form: Shrub.

Height: Medium.

Growth habit:

As a single stem.--Upright and vigorous with self-branching side shoots;may require a growth regulator.

As a branched plant.--Upright with very many stems producing a bushy,full appearance.

Growth rate: Very fast. Under automatic mist, rooting occurs in 10 to 15days. The plant will bloom in about 9 to 10 weeks at a night temperatureof 17° to 19° C. during October and November. A somewhat highertemperature may be necessary under poor light conditions.

Foliage: Alternate, horizontal and in normal abundance.

Leaf size.--Medium. About 4 to 6 inches long and about 21/4 to 41/2inches wide.

Leaf shape.--Substantially ovate, some with acuminate tip, and mostleaves having one or two serrations on each side of the petiole.

Aspect.--Upper side -- dull with vein indented. Under side -- dull withordinary veining.

Color.--Upper side -- between 137A and 147A. Under side -- near 137C.

Retention.--The foliage persists well when the plant is kept at low roomtemperatures, i.e., below 20° C., and with good light intensity.

Bracts: Generally about 15 to 20 in number, in overlapping arrangementwith a tight center providing a full effect.

Size.--Varies, up to 7 inches long and 6 inches wide, some bracts beingas wide as they are long.

Shape.--Ovate-acuminate with substantially entire margins but with somedentations. Small bracts are elliptical in shape.

Petioles.--Quite short, from 1/4 inch to about 1 inch long.

Ribs and veins.--Veins are of a light creamy color and protrude from theunder side of the bracts.

Color.--Bright Red, but somewhat lighter than Poinsettia V-14, with manysmall pink flecks and some pink streaks in the red of the bracts. Red:between 45C and 46C but slightly blued. The proper color is not shown inthe R.H.S. Colour Chart. Pink: between RHS 47D and 51B but more greyed.

Retention.--The bracts have medium persistence.

This new plant has retained substantially all of the growth size andblooming characteristics of its parent, Poinsettia V-14, with theexception of foliage and bract coloration. The foliage of the new plantis somewhat darker in color than that of the parent and the red of thebracts is somewhat lighter than that of the parent. The new plant isparticularly distinguished, however, by the very attractive pink flecksand streaks appearing on the background red of the bracts, thusproviding a very unusual and attractively variegated, generally redpoinsettia plant.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinctive variegated red and pink poinsettiaplant, substantially as herein shown and described, distinguished by thepink flecks and streaks appearing in the overall red background of thebracts, and by the retention of substantially all of the physical andgrowth characteristics, except foliage and bract coloration, of itsparent, Poinsettia V-14.